If we trade Bess and get a 3rd for him (long shot, but what the hell?), what are the chances a team would take 3 3rd's for a 1st?

Probably A lot better than our chances of getting a 3rd for Bess

You say that, but I guarantee that is what Ireland is bargaining for. When the report says they want a mid-round pick. That insinuates that they want a 3rd, teams want to offer a 5th, and they'll likely settle in the middle with a 4th being the compensation.

Remember, there is only one elite slot receiver in this draft right now, and that is Tavon Austin. The Rams and Vikings both lost elite slot receivers and will likely not see Tavon Austin around when they pick. While Bess won't match the production of Amendola or Harvin, he can still provide them with a proven option in the slot who is still in his prime. The Browns and Jets both badly need receivers too, and could be a trade partner as well. Bottom line, there are several teams that might prefer a solid veteran option like Bess.

But ultimately the market will determine his value. If the Browns are the only team interested, then we might not get much for him. But if two or three teams are competing, then we very well could get a good pick for Bess. I think the receiver talent in this draft will thin out after the 3rd round, so I expect we'll probably settle on trading Bess for a 4th.

You know, the more tape I watch on Tavon, the more I question his route running. I guess that's easy to say now, but I don't like what I see a lot of the time

When you run 4.3 it's easy to get away with things at that level. In the NFL he'll still be able to get away with it, just not as much. But I've read that about his game too. That and his hands aren't elite as he will have a tendency to let the ball into his body too often.Personally, I like the idea of Miami trading back, drafting Patterson, and letting Wallace and Gibson split time in the slot. I'd much rather see us add a bigger outside guy that we can use in the redzone. Not only that but with his size, low 4.4 speed, and YAC ability, I think he's going to have the better NFL career. I used to be against Patterson, but the more I watch him, the more I like what I see. I think he's going to be explosive for somebody.